$1,262

Money Raised on Crowdrise

Lead-Abatement Experts

YOU can PREVENT childhood LEAD poisoning.

In even the tiniest doses, lead can and does cause irreversible harm to developing children. Miniscule quantities have detrimental effects ranging from decreased IQ, high-risk for criminal behavior, bone and muscle malformation, miscarriage, and numerous other risks which can stifle a child’s hopes for the future. While regulations have made strong headway towards cutting back on lead’s sources,* the contamination from 60 years of cars spewing lead-laced fumes has lodged itself in the soil of many urban and suburban zones around the US. According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry’s report to Congress, “lead is potentially toxic wherever it is found, and it is found everywhere.” Without intervention, pervasive lead dust will remain into the foreseeable future. In the words of Dr. Seuss, “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”

The Lead Abatement Resource Center cares a whole awful lot. LARC is a collaborative effort, including (but not limited to):

Doctors specializing in occupational and public health

Environmental engineers and geologists

Industrial hygienists

One undergraduate intern

AND concerned, proactive members of the community!

All of these dedicated professionals are working together to launch a comprehensive assault just as multifaceted as the insidious threat we aim to subdue. As our name implies, we aim to serve as a resource for those who are trying to make a difference in a massive social problem. We are located in Chicago, “the Crossroads of America,” a crossroads frequented by enough vehicles before the ban on leaded gasoline to make us one of the most lead-contaminated cities in the nation. Because we are so close to the problem, we are well situated and motivated to work towards a solution.

Our primary goal is to develop more efficient and accessible new procedures for remediation. Traditional methods call for mass removal of contaminated soil, which is taken to a landfill and replaced by gravel, expensive topsoil, or else paved over entirely. This is an expensive and unappealing option for the vast majority of people with lead contamination surrounding their homes. That is why the methods we are pursuing are in situ procedures, meaning that the soil remains in place throughout the process. Interestingly enough fishbone seems to be the key to making this a reality. Its chemical composition allows it to bind to the lead particles, locking it inside microscopic pores. Once bound to small fragments of fish bone the lead can no longer cross into the bloodstream, and is therefore rendered harmless.

The discovery of fish bone as a means to remove lead is a HUGE leap in the struggle against lead, but we need your help to go from laboratory concept to widespread application. By contributing to our organization, you are making a prudent investment in a permanent solution to the lead problem that is far more detrimental than most people are aware.

Fundraisers

Amount Raised:

$1,250

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